This invention relates generally to the field of the sport of golf, and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for manually propelling golf bag carts utilized for carrying golf bags. More specifically, this invention relates to a new and novel apparatus and methods for manually transporting a golf bag cart in a manner which controls movement of the golf bag cart in three axes. The apparatus and methods further provide a dampening and absorption of shock and vibration between the cart and the golfer emanating from contact between the cart and the terrain over which the cart is being transported. The apparatus and methods further provide a dampening and absorption of shock and vibration emanating from variations in the pulling force exerted by the golfer on the cart.
The sport of golf has enjoyed a tremendous upswing in popularity over the last several decades. This popularity has pushed suppliers to the golf industry to innovate at a rate seemingly unprecedented in the sport of golf. Innovation has extended not only to golf balls and golf clubs but to other accessory equipment including, for example, manually transported golf bag carts carrying golf bags. Traditionally, manual golf bag carts have had two wheels attached to golf bag supporting structure upon which a golf bag was placed. When the golf bag cart was not being transported, the supporting structure rested on the ground. To move the cart, the golfer tipped the cart by means of a handle attached to the supporting structure. Thus, the golfer supported part of the weight of the golf bag cart while pulling the cart forward. However, supporting a portion of the weight over a length of the golf course tends to fatigue the golfer.
While it was very common for the golfer to pull the golf bag cart by directly gripping the handle and walking forward, several attempts have been made to free up the golfer's hands by linking an apparatus to the handle of the golf bag cart and then to the waist of the golfer whereby the golfer could pull the cart via the linking apparatus. These attempts were intended to reduce stress and fatigue resulting from pulling of the golf bag cart using the hand and arm muscles.
In one example, a belt type harness is connected at one of its ends to the handles of a two-wheeled golf bag cart. The other end of the harness is secured around the waist of the golfer. However, this configuration does not permit control of the motion of the cart along any axis, either from side to side, or up or down or in the direction of travel. Indeed, the cart is free to swerve side-to-side if the cart is on a side-slope of a hill. The cart may also ride up onto the heels or back of the golfer if the cart is on a downward slope of a hill. Moreover, as the golfer pulls the cart over the terrain, which may be uphill, downhill or along the side of a hill, the golfer's variation in gait results in variation in the force used by the golfer to pull the cart. Moreover, variation in the instantaneous momentum of the cart results in variation of the force applied by the cart to the golfer. Accordingly, as the golfer pulls the cart, all of these variations result in the cart alternately being pulled by the golfer and then pushing the golfer. In simple terms, the cart alternately exerts a pulling and pushing force on the golfer as the golfer walks forward. The result is that this configuration affords virtually no control of movement of the cart nor of the forces between the cart and the golfer.
In another example, a connector rod is provided where one end is attached to a two-wheeled the golf bag cart and the other end is hooked through an eyelet extending from a belt worn by the golfer. As in the example described above, this configuration does not provide any control of side-to-side-movement of the cart and does not provide control of movement along the line of travel. Moreover, this configuration does not include any mechanisms for dampening or absorbing shock or vibration as the golfer tows the cart.
A further example includes an apparatus that is mounted to a two-wheeled golf bag cart. The apparatus wraps around the golfer and then attaches to the golf bag cart. This enables the golfer to push the cart with his or her arms extending forward by pushing on a long transverse member passing in front of the golfer. Alternatively, the golfer may pull the cart by hooking the long transverse member onto a belt mounted pulling assembly attached to a belt worn by the golfer. The pulling assembly includes clips that hold the cart handle. The pulling assembly includes a pad that may be formed of resilient rubber or resilient plastic with stiffeners made of aluminum, steel or spring steel. The resilient molded pad is intended for the comfort of the golfer since it is in direct contact with the golfer's back. However, this configuration provides no control of the movement of the golf bag cart nor any dampening or absorption of shock and vibration.
These and other known devices suffer from a multitude of deficiencies. As mentioned above, such devices intended to permit pulling of the golf bag cart with out use of the golfer's hands fail to provide control of undesirable movement of the cart and fail to provide dampening or absorption of shock and vibration. Uneven or bumpy terrain may skew the cart away from the intended direction or may even result in an overturning of the cart. Similarly, when the golfer is effecting a turn while pulling the cart, the cart may, if the turn is to tight, bind up behind the golfer in the same way a trailer may jack-knife behind a tractor. When pulling the cart down hill, the cart can tend to overrun the golfer, for example, due to the uneven terrain slope. Even the irregular nature of a normal golfer's gait can result in the cart alternately pulling on the golfer and pushing on the back of the golfer with every step. Shock waves resulting from these alternate puling and pushing forces are often annoying and fatiguing enough to affect the golfer's ability to play golf.
Moreover, various apparatus attached to the cart and the torso of the golfer to permit pulling of the cart with out use of the golfer's hands, for example via a rod or other structure, interferes with normal pulling of the cart directly by its handle. In other words, the apparatus interferes with golfer's normal grip on the cart handle. Thus, it is difficult for the golfer, in the course of a round of golf, to alternatively pull the cart not only directly by the hands and but also via apparatus secured to the torso of the golfer. Similarly, many known devices fail to provide for quickly disconnecting such a pulling apparatus from the golf bag cart.
Known devices intended to permit pulling of the golf bag, without use of the golfer's hands, through apparatus attached to the golfer's waist fail to provide for distribution of the shock and vibration loads. While some such devices provide a foam pad between the golfer's back and a belt attached to the cart, foam pads are insufficient to provide a comfortable interface between the golfer and the belt.
Within the last decade, in order to lessen fatigue on the golfer, golf bag cart innovation has resulted in the development of a three-wheeled golf bag cart. In this configuration, three wheels are attached to the golf bag supporting structure and no part of the supporting structure rests on the ground. To move the cart, there is no need to tip the cart and the golfer simply pushes the cart forward on all three wheels without bearing any of the direct weight of the bag. This configuration went a long way in reducing golfer fatigue but it did not eliminate all fatigue resulting from transporting a golf bag cart and bag.
Even with today's three-wheeled golf bag carts that support the entire weight of the golf bag cart, a golfer can encounter muscle fatigue. Pushing the cart over the entire length of a 5000-yard or greater golf course can fatigue the golfer's forearms, biceps, triceps and shoulders. Fatigue of these muscles can be detrimental to the golfers ability to effect a lower score. In addition, while the golfer is pushing a golf bag cart, the golfer's hands are occupied and not free for other tasks such as marking a score card or cleaning clubs or golf balls. Many of the same deficiencies of apparatus intended to pull/push a two-wheeled golf bag cart are present in the pulling and/or pushing of a three-wheeled golf bag cart.